Magic of Friendship
by KuraiHaru17
Summary: [AU] "All is not lost, my dear friend... Hope is what keeps me fighting..." It always put my mind at ease each time he said that. It gave me hope. Together, we faced the harsh world out there, with hope as our shield, and friendship as our weapon... Genres: Adventure, Friendship, Family, Hurt/Comfort, Supernatural, Romance. Ratings might change later on. [On hold]
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone. It's me, KuraiHaru17. As I noticed my story 'Forced to Love' needs to be improved, and that it is not very interesting, I came up with a very different idea. And hopefully, it will get attention, unlike that other work of failure.**

**So, basically, this story is inspired by the very first RPG game I ever played, and my favorite, to be honest. I just feel so thankful to those who made that game. Anyways, on with the story.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

_Prologue_

_I didn't know what to do at that time. My best friend was dying. He fell right in front of me, sacrificing his life for my sake. He was bleeding, but he kept trying to get on his feet again, standing in front of me protectively. His magic was out, and she only had his sword as a weapon. He was panting heavily, with blood covering his face and arms. He had a deep wound in the stomach and a large cut on his left arm. It hurt me seeing him like this, so weak and tired, but still fighting. Fighting for me._

_My healing powers were not much effective. I hated myself for that. My friend needed me. He has been helping me throughout our journey. He has been by my side through thick and thin. I couldn't just leave him like that._

_How did all this start? Well, we need to go way back. To the time when I and my best friend were slaves. Yes, slaves. We were not friends in the first place. I only knew him by sight. Behind our friendship is a long story, full of adventure and mysteries. Our adventure was full of tears, love, happiness, magic. I would have never thought it would end like this…_

_Then, I remembered my friend's words…_

"_All is not lost, my dear friend. Hope is what keeps me fighting…"_

_He was right… All is not lost…_

* * *

**Okay. So that's for the prologue. It is very short, but I guess this is what prologues are about, ne? I'm not going to narrate the whole story here, am I?**

**So, anyways, I'm just testing the waters to see if this story will be more accepted than the other one. Not that I'm negative or anything, (A big lie.) but this is just what I felt. Just tell me if you feel like you want to read more of this. Hope you enjoy.**

**Again, I apologize for the extreme shortness of this prologue. I hope it didn't annoy any of you. Gomen nasai. *bows*  
**

**KuraiHaru17**


	2. Chapter I

**As this is in first person, I may make some mistakes concerning the character's personality. Please tell me if there is anything wrong.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

_Chapter I_

I woke up early in the morning, like I do every day, getting ready to carry out my tasks. The sun shone through the small window in the room where I sleep. It was a very small window, just like the room itself. The room only had a cot, which I used as a bed, and a small chest, where I kept my things, if I had any. The walls were thin, and they didn't keep out the cold very well, but it was enough for me. I was used to it. I got up from my not-so-comfortable 'bed' and adjusted my dress. It was not really a dress, more like a dress that has been overused. It would be described more as rags.

"Nanami, you worthless slave! Get up, you lazy lass and get to work!" came the harsh voice of my mistress. It sent a shiver down my spine, frightening me to the core. I rushed upstairs, and found my mistress waiting for me. She was holding a list in her hand, and a long, thick stick in the other. Her glare terrified me especially that I knew what that stick was capable of.

"Y-yes, ma'am?" I said quietly, to which she growled.

"Don't slack off, Idiot!" she yelled, shoving the list at me, along with a small bag of coins. "Now go and work, you worthless idiot! Don't dare sit down before your work is done!" I nodded and rushed out of the house before she gets angrier. I closed the door and sighed, looking at the list in my hands. I had a lot of tasks to do, but who am I to object? No one will believe a slave.

My mistress, Nora, lived in a large house in a small village known as 'Holan'. This village was famous for slave-trading. Each day, I would see lots of slaves coming here to be sold. They were beaten and treated cruelly by the traders and their masters, save for a few who are considered lucky. I saw fellow slaves each day at the market place. Some would be there with their masters, helping them out with their tasks, and some would just be like me, doing work for their masters.

I walked through the village, heading to the tailor's shop. Her name was Leena. She was one of the few who treated slaves well. Usually, when my work is done, I would sneak out and spend some time with her, listening to her speaking about foreign lands. Such stories were interesting to me. Oh, how I wished to go out and see the world, to travel around the isles, exploring that mysterious world out there. Unfortunately, I had to snap out of these dreams before I could forget my duties.

"Hello…?" I called out as I walked into the shop. Leena was there, working on a dress. She looked up at me with a smile, waving at me.

"Oh hello there, Haruka. How may I help you?" she asked kindly, putting her tools aside. I walked over to her and bowed.

"Yes. My mistress sent me to pick up the dress she ordered." I said. The young woman pointed to a dress that was put on a mannequin in the corner of the shop. It was a white dress with golden linings and a golden bow and the middle. A silken long ribbon was tied to each sleeve. The dress was simple, but it looked lovely. I carefully picked it up and carried it over to Leena.

"Thank you, dearest." she took the dress and folded it carefully, placing it in a bag and handing it over to me. "Just be careful with it, dear. You don't want your mistress yelling at you for that. As for Eiichi's travelling clothes, they will be ready tomorrow." I nodded and thanked her then walked to the door. Before I left she said, "Oh and, come by at dusk, dear. I have something for you…" Something for me? What could that be, I wonder. But there was no time to wonder. I had to get my work done first.

Next, I headed to the market to buy some food. The smell of fresh bread and pastries filled the air with its sweet, delicious scent. I saw most of the people look at me degradingly. They were those that detested slaves. When I walk past them, they would scoff and turn away, or shove me harshly out of their way. I didn't mind it and went on, buying the things that were on the list. After a while, I was almost done. I walked back to the Baker's to buy the bread, but then I saw it.

"Nobody is capable of making bread as fine as mine in the isles! How can you, a slave girl, judge my bread?!" The baker yelled. The girl he spoke to was a young girl, about 16-17 years old. I recognized her by sight. She was a fellow slave who was called Haruka, like I am. She was always silent, rarely speaks to anyone. I managed once to speak to her, but she didn't speak much to me. She was standing there in front of the baker; holding up several loafs of bread.

"It was not me. My master said: "Shove these disgusting rocks in that idiot's face!" So I am back here…" She said. The woman glared at her and shoved her forcefully. Haruka landed on the hard ground with a thud, and the loaves of bread fell by her side. Her ragged dress got its sleeve torn due to the forceful act of roughness. The people standing were all shouting at her, calling her names and making fun of her. They soon dispersed gradually. The pale girl was still on the ground, gathering the now ruined bread. I knelt down by her and put the things I held down.

"Are you okay?" I asked, offering my hand to help her up. She looked up at me with her peculiar-looking crimson eyes for a while, as if she didn't know if she should trust me or not. It was not long before she took my hand and got up, thanking me quietly. I looked at the dusty bread. "What are you going to do now…?"

"My master is going to punish me…" she said, her face stoic as ever. Did it not matter to her anymore? Could it be that she was so used to it? She turned to walk away, but before she could leave, I grabbed her arm. She was thin and weak. I guessed she had not been eating well lately. I didn't want her to be punished. It could kill her. I had to do something.

"Wait…" I said, pulling out five golden coins and handing them to her. "Take these back to your master." She looked at me with shock and surprise.

"B-but… Your mistress will-"I quickly cut her sentence off.

"No. Don't worry about that." I said with a smile. "I know what to do." She bowed and thanked me with a smile.

"I owe you a lot, Nanami…" She said. "Thank you." With that, each of us went back to our respective houses. Luckily, my mistress was busy, talking to her son. I placed the things I bought down in the kitchen next to the cauldron, and then went to my room. I opened the chest in the corner and go out five golden coins I have saved. I quickly went back upstairs and picked up the bag where the dress was put, and then I put the coins with the others, so my mistress would not suspect anything. I went to the main room, where she and her son were sitting.

"I'm back, mistress." I said quietly. She looked at me with a harsh glare and got up, walking to me.

"Have you done all your tasks?" She asked. I nodded and held out the bag I was holding. She looked into the bag and then back at me. "Where are Eiichi's clothes?"

"The tailor said they'd be ready by tomorrow, ma'am." I said, hoping she wouldn't snap at me. She didn't, much to my relief.

"Where is the rest of the money?" She asked. I gave her the bag of coins. "She counted them and turned away. "Good. But you were late. No supper for you tonight." I frowned at the statement, but I could say nothing. I simply walked back to my room and sat down. Then I remembered what Leena told me. I had to sneak out of the house and come back while they didn't see me. The best time to do that was when they were having supper. I went to the kitchen and cooked their meals like I do every day. After I set the tables, I walked out of the kitchen and went to my room again. After a while, when I was sure they were in the kitchen, I sneaked out and rushed to Leena's shop.

"Ah, you are back, Haruka." She said with a smile and handed me a package. "Here, his is a gift from me to you. I hope you like it, dear." I smiled.

"Thank you, Leena." I said. "But, why are you so nice to slaves like me?" I tilted my head with a confused look. Leena blinked then laughed softly.

"Well, you might not believe it, but I have been a slave myself for a long time." She said. "I know how a slave feels when he is treated badly by people." So that's why she was not as haughty as other people. Leena was a really nice example for a noblewoman. If only there were more people like her.

"I need to get going now. Bye." I said, walking out of the shop and back to the house. I sneaked back in and went straight to my room. Sat down and opened the package carefully, and I couldn't suppress a smile from appearing on my face. It was a dress; a light blue one with blue ribbons decorating it. It was the same dress Leena was working on that morning. I felt so happy, but I had to hide the dress, or else, my mistress would take it or worse; rip it to shreds. I folded it carefully and placed it in the chest before locking it. I was so tired by that time. My eyelids felt heavier by the minute, and before I knew it, I was fast asleep.

* * *

**Okay, so that's all for the first chapter, everyone. The next chapters will be longer than this one, I hope. And I hope someone will read this. If so, I'd love to hear your opinions, minna. **

**Until next time. :D**

**KuraiHaru17**


	3. Chapter II

**Yosh, here is today's update! Hopefully, this one will be longer and better than the previous one. (Feeling determined.)**

**I'd like to thank Female President Cocoa-sensei for her review. I almost thought no one was going to say anything. Thanks again. (It's not like I was going to stop writing or anything, but the review made me happy. :P)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

_Chapter II_

I woke up early next morning, in order to be able to go get Eiichi's clothes before my mistress wakes up. After I washed my face and combed my hair, I went outside and headed to the Leena's shop. She was there, working as hard as usual, while humming softly as to entertain herself while she worked. She smiled upon seeing me and welcomed me warmly.

"Good morning, Haruka. How are you today?" she asked gently. "Did you like my gift?"

"I'm fine, thank you, ma'am. And yes, it was really kind of you to give me such a gift." I replied with a smile. "I've come to pick up Eiichi's travelling clothes."

"Oh, here they are." She said as she handed them over to me. I bowed and thanked her again.

"I need to return now before my mistress wakes up."

"I'll see you later then, dear. Take care." That was the last thing I heard before I left the shop. On my way back, I met Haruka. She looked in a better condition than the day before, and her eyes looked a bit brighter, but her face was still stoic. Nevertheless, I could tell she was in a good mood.

"I...wanted to thank you again for helping me yesterday." She said, holding out some coins. "My master was pleased with me yesterday, so he gave me these coins as a reward. Now I give them to you…" I was about to refuse, but she insisted. I found myself forced to take them.

"Fine, I'll keep them with me, but they are yours, Haruka." I said with a smile. For a mere second, I saw a smile appear on her pale face, but the next moment, it was gone. "I'll see you around, then. Bye." I said and walked past her, heading back to the house. My mistress was up, looking for me. When she saw me, she was furious.

"Where were you, you worthless girl?!" she shouted. "I've been looking for you!"

"Sorry, ma'am. I was out getting Master Eiichi's travelling clothes." I said, showing her the package I held. She looked at me doubtfully, but snatched the package from my hand.

"Good. Now go find my son. The emissary will be here any moment." She said, pushing me outside. I sighed as soon as she closed the door and walked through the village, looking for her snobbish son. Eiichi was gifted, or so I heard. He had the gift of sorcery. Each year, emissaries from Shining Academy would come and recruit those who have gifts of magic. Eiichi was chosen among these gifted that year. I was absolutely in no position to object, but who knows what would a person like Eiichi do if he learns magic? Eiichi was a proud, flirtatious person who only loved himself. He looked down on other people, slaves or not.

"You slave girl!" Speak of the devil, Eiichi and his friends, Nagi and Kira, approached me. He had his signature smirk on his face, and so did the short boy, Nagi. Kira, on the other hand, was rather calm. He didn't talk much, so I had no idea of his character.

"Master Eiichi." I began, speaking in a low tone despite my inner feelings of desire to beat him up. The boy was annoying. Too annoying, in fact. I just couldn't bear his annoying smirk or his spoilt attitude. "Mistress Nora says you have to go back now." He, and Nagi, simply laughed. The next second, I was picked up by the neck. The boy's grip was hard it almost killed me. I struggled to free myself from his death grip, but my strength didn't even match half his own.

"Was that a command, slave girl?" He said in a low threatening tone. He was so close I could feel his breath on my face. He still had the smirk on his face, but his eyes said otherwise. He lifted up his fist and was about to punch me. I closed my eyes and waited for the impact, but it never came.

"Ow! Who threw that?!" was what I heard before I was thrown to the ground hard. I opened my eyes to see a crowd of people standing in a circle, Eiichi with his back to me, and facing him was… Haruka?!

"Don't hurt her, Eiichi." She said. Her voice was different from the one I knew. It was emotionless, and a bit masculine. Her eyes had a dangerous glare in them. Was she there to protect me? But, Eiichi could hurt her easily. Then why? I never got an answer for that till later.

"Ha! Another slave idiot gives me an order." He approached her and shoved her to the ground. "Idiots. You still can't see you are inferior to us." Haruka looked up at him, wincing slightly. Her pale arm had a cut on it, and was bleeding hard. Eiichi turned back to me again and was about to pick me up once more. But then, I saw it. It was the first time I saw any kind of magic. It came like a flash, literally.

Before Eiichi could even bend down, Haruka picked up a long stick and got to her feet. She swung it swiftly then thrust it towards Eiichi. Immediately, a flash of white light hit Eiichi, causing him to yell in pain. He turned around to Haruka, anger flying like sparks out of his eyes. Nagi and Kira looked amazed and afraid at the same time, and so did the people watching the scene.

"You little…!" Eiichi approached Haruka, who dropped the stick and took a few steps back. I ran to Haruka and stood behind her, ready to drag her and run away at any moment.

"Hmm… Interesting… Very interesting, indeed…" I heard a voice say. I glanced to the side to see a man and a woman. The woman was dressed in a long, white cloak with a strange symbol on it, and the man was dressed in what looked like ancient roman armor. The woman was examining the stick Haruka was holding earlier, looking at it with amazement. She turned to her companion. "Did you feel her gift, Ryuuya?"

"I did," the man, Ryuuya, replied. Eiichi interrupted them angrily.

"This is none of your business, strangers! Get lost!" he yelled. Ryuuya and his companion looked at each other for a while.

"This must be Eiichi." Ryuuya spoke.

"Yes. Master Shining said he was rude, but I never thought it was that much." The woman said before she turned to Eiichi. "Eiichi. I'm Tsukimiya Ringo, and this is Hyuuga Ryuuya. We were sent her by Master Shining to take you to the academy." I could see Eiichi's face go red with anger and embarrassment. That moment, I had to try hard not to laugh at his misfortune, and I could see Haruka was amused by that fact too. Eiichi was in deep trouble.

"That girl wanted to kill me! You saw her use magic!" He said, pointing to Haruka.

"Ryuuya," Ringo began, "What do you think?"

"The girl has potential. Such magic can be dangerous if not trained." He said, looking at Haruka. "She has to come to the academy."

"So does the other girl. Look." Ringo pointed to my hand, which was gripping on Haruka's injured arm. I was about to let go, afraid that I had hurt Haruka more that she already was, but, to my utter surprise, the wound was not there. There was no single trace for blood or injury.

"Impressive. Healing magic, then?" Ryuuya commented, smiling at me and Haruka.

"No! They cannot be gifted! They are slaves!" Eiichi yelled and once again, he was ignored.

"Is it true? You two are slaves?" Ringo asked. I nodded.

"Y-yes…"

"You don't have to worry about that anymore." Ryuuya spoke. He walked closer to us and gave each of us a golden token. "Now, both of you are free."

"F-free?" Haruka and I asked at the same time, eyes wide in surprise.

"Yes." I couldn't believe myself. I was free, and I was going to learn healing magic. My life was taking a new turn.

"Now, Ringo. Please accompany Eiichi to his house make arrangements. I'll stay here with the girls to see if they have any questions." Ringo nodded and left with Eiichi, whom I was sure his mother was going to be furious with him and me as well, but it didn't matter to me. I was free now.

"Master Ryuuya…" Haruka spoke. "What is my gift exactly?"

"Sword magic; it's the ability to draw out magic using a sword." He answered. "I'm pretty impressed you could draw it from a stick without any previous training." Then he smiled. "I believe you will become on great sword mistress one day, if you can handle the training." Once again, I saw Haruka smile, but this time, the smile lingered on her face.

"Thank you. I won't let you down." Was her reply.

"When can we leave?" I asked.

"Anytime you want. Me, Master Ringo and Eiichi will leave tomorrow at dawn. You should probably rest first." This got me surprised.

"Master Ringo?"

"Yes. He fooled you, didn't he?" Ryuuya asked with a laugh. I blinked.

"Hai… He did…"

"Your friend deceived me too…" He said, pointing to Haruka. "At first, I thought she was a boy with feminine looks like my companion, but when Eiichi referred to her as a girl, it cleared the misunderstanding." This had me thinking. Haruka's body indeed looked just like a boy. I didn't have time to think of that now. There are more important things to do.

"We should pack our stuff, Haruka. Let's go." We went on separate ways. I went to my small room and pulled out a leather bag I had hidden beneath one of the loose planks in the ground. I placed all my belongings in it. After I was done, I said goodbye to the room and went upstairs. Mistress Nora was there, waiting for me.

"Damn you! This was supposed to my son's special day. You ruined it! Get out and never come back again!" she yelled. I did not answer and just walked past her. I left that house and let out a long sigh of relief. Finally, no more yells or beatings. Finally free…

Now I debated on whether I should leave with Haruka, or just go on my own. Maybe she wants to go without me, or maybe I would burden her. But it wouldn't hurt to ask. I had heard the woods out there were dangerous, and it would be better to travel with her. I walked to the market place in hopes of meeting her there. It took some time before I spotted her in the crowds. She was looking for something, or more like buying something. I guessed she was buying supplies for the journey to the academy. The Shining Academy for Sword and Magic was located in the capital of this Isle, 'Logar'. I, of course, had no idea on how to get there. I clearly needed help.

"There you are." Haruka said as she approached me. She also and a bag with her, but it was smaller than mine. In her hands, she held a map.

"Are you ready to go, or would you prefer to stay her and wait till tomorrow?" I raised an eyebrow at her question, not really getting what she meant at first. It took me some time to realize that she was going to take me with her. At least she saved me the question.

"Well, I think we should go now. It's a long way to the city, right?" I suggested. She nodded and opened the map.

"Yes. There are three marked places on this map. Holan, Logar and a village called 'Monrew'. Logar is located up north." She said, pointing to the location on the map. "We can stop by Monrew if night approaches us. It will be dangerous to wander around in the woods at night. There are lots of beasts there." I nodded.

"Okay… Let's go." We both walked to the gates of the city. After showing the guards our tokens, they let us leave. Then began our first journey: Getting to Logar safely and in one piece.

* * *

**Phew. Second chapter done already. It didn't turn out as long as I wanted too, but I guess these are enough events in this chapter. Ah, how nice it is when a person write about something he adore. *happy sigh***

**Anyways, R&amp;R. If you feel like pointing out any mistakes, just tell me. I'll get them fixed at once.**

**KuraiHaru17**


	4. Chapter III

**The third chapter is up! Wahoo! Hope you people out there like it! **

**Again, I thank Cocoa-sensei for her support and nice compliment. Thank you! *bows***

**Disclaimer, I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. And I also do not own the RPG game Aveyond. I only own my OCs and most parts of the plot. To be honest, there are some parts that are similar to the original RPG game. I simply couldn't find something better to replace it.**

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

_Chapter III_

I gaped in awe as me and my companion walked through the forest. It was cool, and it made me feel happy. I could hear birds chirping on tree branches, and the warm sunlight sneaked through the leaves. It was a really nice view. I walked behind Haruka, who was holding the map and taking the lead. It gave me time to look at the small animals around. I saw one small light brown squirrel, hiding behind a flower that was larger than it. It was looking at my, wiggling its small nose. I walked over to it and knelt down, holding out my hand.

"Hi there, little one…" I said, smiling as it climbed onto my hand. It was so small and cute, looking at me with those big brown eyes. "I'm–"

"Nanami. Come on." Haruka called out to me. I looked up at her and stood up again, running to her.

"Look, Haruka. Isn't it cute?" I asked, holding up the squirrel. She didn't reply, but I could see in her eyes that she agreed. We went on walking through the forest. Occasionally, we would sit down and rest, but we would soon be up again, continuing our journey to the city. Luckily we did not encounter any monsters anywhere. It would have been a great problem for us. Soon, night fell. Haruka said we needed to find a place to stay, or monsters may attack us.

"We are an easy prey…" said Haruka. "Staying out in the open is not on our side." Her reason was convincing. We were not trained, so we had no ability to defend ourselves against any threat. So, as soon as we found a cave, we went in. I had gathered some twigs and sticks, which Haruka used to make a small fire that would provide heat and light. We both sat in silence, neither of us speaking about anything. I kept looking at the fire, sneaking glances at Haruka every now and then. She had her eyes fixed at the fire too, but the look they had told me she was not looking at the cackling flames. It was like her mind was wandering somewhere else.

"Haruka…" I called out to her. She slowly turned her gaze to me.

"…Yes…?"

"Are you okay?"

"…Yes…"

"Okay…" The conversation ended there, and we both sat in silence again. Slowly, I started feeling drowsy. My eyelids were getting heavier, but I wanted to stay up. Haruka, on the other hand, looked perfectly awake. I couldn't see any signs of tiredness or whatsoever. I rubbed my eyes and tried to focus, but I couldn't.

"Nanami… You should sleep." I heard Haruka say. I couldn't even reply. I lay down on the ground and closed my eyes, falling into a deep sleep.

Next morning, I woke up to see the squirrel I met the day before standing in front of my eyes. It had its head tilted to the left and was staring at me. I smiled a little and yawned, sitting up and rubbing my eyes. The fire was out, and Haruka was not in the cave. I looked around quickly and relaxed when I saw her sitting at the entrance. She turned around to look at me.

"Good morning, Nanami…" she greeted me. I smiled at her and got up, waking to the entrance of the cave. Haruka stood up as well.

"We will be on our way now, right?"

"Are you not hungry?" she asked. I shook my head.

"I can hold on. Let's go." I replied, walking out of the cave, with the squirrel, which I called Doro, on my shoulder. We continued our trip to the city and soon, after several hours passed, we were there, at Logar, the capital of this isle.

The city was huge, with people walking up and down the streets. I had never seen such a city before, so busy. Haruka and I walked through the streets, dodging people every now and then. This went on till we finally managed to reach the main square. The buildings at this part of the city looked new and bigger than others, so I guessed this was where people belonging to the higher class lived. Before I could even think, Haruka dragged me away.

"Come on. I think I know where the academy is." She said. I managed to quicken my pace so that I was walking by her. We walked along a trail, surrounded by flowers and trees on both sides. The trail was long and quiet. No people were around except for us. We kept walking till we reached a huge stone staircase. There was a large sign to the left. It read: Shining Academy for Sword and Magic.

"Here we are." I said with a smile. My mind was racing with thoughts. How would life be like here? Will we meet new friends, or make new foes? What would Eiichi do to us? I knew for sure he would make our life here miserable. We, as he thought, ruined his lucky day. He would not just brush it off. We climbed up the stairs, which took a lot of time as the staircase was bigger than it looked. When we finally reached the top, we saw it.

"The academy…" In front of us stood a huge beautiful building. The external walls were decorated with marble, granite and quartz. The trees surrounding the building complimented the view, not to mention the flowers that were planted all around. Doro jumped off my shoulder and ran around, hiding in the flowers. I bent down and took in the nice scent of daffodils.

"It's so beautiful…" I heard my companion say. Haruka's crimson eyes were wide with awe. I couldn't help but smile at her attitude. The charm of the academy works on her too, I guess. I giggled at my own thoughts and got up, holding Doro in my hands.

"Let's go in, then." I said, walking to the main entrance with Haruka walking behind me. The guards at the door opened the door for us, and we walked in. The building on the inside was even more beautiful; the marbled floor, the decorated high walls. It was fascinating. As soon as we walked in, we were confronted by Master Ryuuya.

"You came." He said, approaching us. "I thought something happened to you."

"A-ah… We just had to spend a night in the forest." I replied. The swordsman nodded.

"I see. You should go to speak to Master Shining. Follow me." He said. Haruka and I followed him through the hallways till we reached a huge door. Master Ryuuya opened the door and walked in, with us walking behind him.

"Master Shining." Master Hyuuga bowed, and Haruka and I did the same. "I have brought–"

"Hmmm… New recruits, Mister Ryuuya?" the man sitting at the desk questioned, standing up and walking to us. He was tall. Really tall. He bent over and looked at me and Haruka closely then grinned. "Very well. Show me your tokens." Haruka and I held out our golden tokens, and the man, Master Shining, hummed in delight. "Good. The tokens are real. Welcome to Shining Academy!" he exclaimed, twirling in circles.

"All you need to do now is register your names here." Master Ryuuya said, holding out a large note book and a quill. There were some names registered there, most of them were labeled: "freshmen" I, with difficulty, wrote down my name. Well, I was a slave for most of my life. I had no rights of education. Luckily, Leena was kind enough to devote time to teach me. I handed the quill over to Haruka, and she wrote her name down with ease. Not only that, but her hand writing was beautiful. I soon found myself staring at her written name.

"Beautiful…" I muttered, which did not go unnoticed by Master Ryuuya, Haruka and Master Shining. Haruka blushed a bit while Master Shining took a quick look at the name.

"Mizashi Haruka, huh?" he asked, glancing at Haruka. "Now, Miss Mizashi… What classes will you apply for?" Apply for? Do we get the choice to choose our classes?

"Sword magic and Demon Summoning." She replied. Demon summoning? What was that? I decided to ask Haruka about it later. What puzzled me even more was the look Master Shining gave her. He looked… worried.

"Are you sure of this?"

"Yes," was Haruka's firm reply. Master shining nodded his head.

"Very well." Then he turned to me. "What about you, Miss Nanami…?" I put a finger on my chin and thought deeply before saying.

"Healing magic."

"It's settled. Miss Mizashi, Mister Ryuuya will take you to your dormitory. As for you, Miss Nanami," he walked back to his desk and pulled a rope that was hanging next to the dark curtains. Immediately, Master Ringo came in.

"You called, Master Shining?" he said, bowing politely.

"Please escort Miss Nanami to her dormitory. That's all." Said the tall man before he disappeared. He was weird, but nice.

"Let's go, Haruka." Master Ryuuya said, leading Haruka outside. I turned to Master Ringo, who in turn smiled at me.

"Let's go now, Haruka. I have a lot to show you around here." He said, grabbing my hand and taking me outside. The dormitories were in a separate building, one larger than the Academy itself, though the size was not much different. Master Ringo took me to the section where the students of Magic stayed.

"It's huge…" I said, gaping in awe at the sight I was looking at. The pink-haired healer smiled and patted my head.

"I hope you like it here, Haruka." He said. "Now, I need to go. Be sure to pass by the main hall to check the rules, then go and ask for your key. Good luck." He said and walked away. I took a deep breath and walked in. It was a lobby, with a single, large desk in the middle. At the desk sat a man, who looked like 30-35. He looked up at me with his deep blue eyes.

"How may I help you?" he asked politely, removing some of his dark brown bangs away from his face. I approached the desk and shook away the nervousness.

"I'm here to register for– "

"You're here to become a healer. Am I right?" he asked, smiling at me. I felt my cheeks heat up a bit as I found myself drawn in by his warm attitude.

"Y-yes…"

"I see…" he laughed, writing down something. "Your name, please?"

"Nanami Haruka."

"Good." He wrote down something again. "Magic section: Healing major. True?"

"Yes…"

"Very well." He then handed me the paper after he was done writing. "I'm Leon. If you need to ask about anything, you are very welcome here. Now, take this to Miss Lia. She will give you the key to your room." I took the paper and looked at it then back at Leon.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome." He replied. "This way, please." He gestured to a door at the left side of the room. It was brown with a hint of red, and it had a sign on it that read: Magicians' Dorms. On the other side of the room was a door, but it was royal blue. The sign on it read: Knights' Dorms. So Haruka was staying there. I wondered whether I was allowed to see her or not, but I had to find my room first. I opened the door and peeked in, surprised to find a long hallway. I walked through only to find a single door at its end. I opened the door and walked into a large room. It looked like a large ballroom, but with staircases all over, people going up and down. It felt like those stories Leena used to read for me. I found myself smiling as I admired the large room.

"It looks so good. Right, Doro?" I questioned the little squirrel, who was standing on my head at that time. It let out a squeak, which I took as a yes. "Now, where can I find Miss Lia…?" I looked around, searching for anyone that could be the person I was looking for. Unfortunately, I saw no one. As I turned around, I bumped into someone and fell down. The person fell down too. I opened my eyes and was about to apologize when-

"I'm so sorry. Are you alright?" I heard a feminine voice ask. It was the girl I bumped into. She had long wavy burgundy hair and pinkish eyes. She looked at me worriedly and quickly helped me up. "I should have looked where I was going. I'm really sorry." I shook my head.

"It's not your fault. No need to worry." I replied. She gave me a warm smile.

"I'm Shibuya Tomochika, but please call me Tomo." She held out her hand. I took it and smiled.

"I'm Nanami Haruka. Nice to meet you, Tomo." Then I remembered what I was here for. "Um… May I ask you a question? Do you know where Miss Lia is? I need to–"

"Oh, right. Come on." Without another word, she dragged me along, almost bumping into everyone in sight. It was not long before we reached a small room. Inside was a woman seated at a desk, looking through a lot of papers. She seemed to notice us, as she put her work aside and looked up at us.

"May I help you, Miss Shibuya?" she asked. Tomo pushed me forward.

"Yes. Haruka here came to receive her key and room number."

"Okay. Do you have the registration document with you?" she asked. I nodded and handed her the paper Leon gave me. She read it quickly then looked through the contents on an open drawer by her side. She pulled out several papers and a key. "Here, your room is number '304' on the third floor. These are your schedules and your pass cards. You will need these to receive your study books tomorrow. Also, please change into your uniform as soon as possible. Good luck." I took the things and walked out of the room. Tomo squealed.

"Yes! Finally I have a roommate!" she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. I smiled and hugged back. "Come on now. I'll take you to our room. I remember there was a spare uniform there too…" We both went to our dorm room. By that time, it was dusk. Time passed quickly, I could even notice. I was tired, and what I needed was a long, nice sleep.

"Here it is." Tomo said, opening the door. The room was not very big, but it looked warm. It had two medium-sized beds and a small closet. I walked in and sat down on the bed. It was soft and warm. I could not resist throwing myself back on it, feeling by body sink into the soft mattress.

"So soft…" I said. Tomo laughed.

"I can tell you came from Holan. You were a slave, right?" she asked. I nodded.

"Yes… I'm glad I'm free now…"

"Slavery is such a horrible thing…"

"Yeah…" I stared at the ceiling, thinking of all the other slaves back at Holan. It made me angry, thinking of how horrible they are treated. With a sigh, I sat up. "One day, I will ban slavery. It's my goal."

"That's a noble goal, Haruka." She replied with a laugh, throwing me the uniform I was going to wear. It was dark green, lined with white. That was when I noticed that Tomo's uniform was dark red lined with black. I thought of asking, but I was too tired to do so. I simply changed my outfit and threw away my slave dress. My new clothes were more comfortable. I lay back on my new bed and yawned, crawling under the covers.

"Goodnight, Tomo." I whispered before I fell to a deep sleep, not even bothering to think of my hunger. My energy was drained, and soon, I was absorbed into the world of darkness.

* * *

**Wow, that was quite long. I hope it was good too. I had intended to make Otoya and Tokiya appear in this one, but I guess I'll leave it for the next chapter.**

**I'll see you all next time, minna! If you like, you can leave a review. Bye-bye!**

**KuraiHaru17**


	5. Chapter IV

**Hello, everyone! I'm back. I've been stuck with exams lately, so my updates were slow, but now, I have time. Yay! At least, I'll get my mind away from 'Forced to Love' for a while until I manage to write the next chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. I only own my OCs and the plot.**

* * *

_Chapter IV_

Three months went by as I studied at Shining Academy. I found out that, as a novice, I was not allowed to go over to the Sword Magic section. Only apprentices were allowed to do so. As a result, I did not see Haruka during that time, not even once. I was saddened by that fact at first, then I became determined to study more, hoping that I would be able to pass the trials and see my companion—if not a friend—again.

I got along with my roommate pretty quick. She was a social butterfly, as most students call her, and was pretty popular too. Her cheerful attitude always made me feel happy. She told me she was training to become an Enchantress, who—I learned later—were magicians who manipulated people by infatuating them. Her magic course was really hard, but not as much as healing. Even though, Tomo kept telling me that I'll pass. Thanks to her support, I managed to keep up with the heavy studies I had to do.

I later discovered that all Novices—regardless of their interests—are to take a beginner course 'Magic 101'. It consists of various types of magic. It was like an introduction to magic, its uses, its dangers, and its history. The course was full of information, historical facts and etc.

As a novice, I only had to read textbooks and study through books and scrolls; nothing practical, yet. Master Ringo told me that this was the best way, as it allows me to grasp a lot of information on the subjects of my study before I got to the real heavy material. I barely had any free time, and if I ever did, I would probably hang out with Tomo or go to watch other healers train. Most healers were people of higher classes, so it was not easy to befriend them at all. Especially that Eiichi has kept his promise. Almost everyone at the academy knew of my origins, and they even believed I was a thief. Some people didn't believe that, but most of them did.

But that was the last of my concerns. I needed to focus on my studies. Becoming a better healer was the only way I can get these people to stop looking down at me. Master Ringo said I was progressing fast, and the scores I got were high. I was not satisfied, though. My level was not good enough to take the trials yet. We—me and the others who were in my class—still had to take lessons on practical healing techniques, and Master Ringo was the one who gave them to us.

"Now, students. Listen up. This is your first time trying practical healing. If not focused, it can be very dangerous." He said. "Try to use all the information you collected about healing so that you can make sure this does not turn into a disaster. Okay?"

"Yes, Master Ringo." The class chimed.

"Good. Now, each of you will perform one of the simplest healing techniques: Breath." I have read about that technique. It enabled its user to breathe out a healing aura. It was an easy technique, but it required focus and carefulness. "Here, let me show you." With that, Master Ringo closed his eyes, holding out his hands in front of him, as if he was holding a cup with both hands. His hands slowly started glowing with a faint light green aura. He opened them so that they were facing upwards and gently blew on them. The light green aura flew off his hand and into the air, spiraling and moving slowly and beautifully. The students—and I—watched in pure awe.

"Beautiful…" I murmured, but Master Ringo seemed to hear it. He smiled.

"Yes. Healing magic, even though it is one of the hardest types of magic, is very beautiful. Only when it's used properly." Then he clapped his hands together. "Now, class, it's your turn now." The students started taking turns, performing the technique. I was getting nervous each time my turn got closer. I didn't want to fail. Not now. I still had a long way to go. The other students were so talented that it made me feel hopeless. But I did not give up. I still had a chance.

"It's your turn, Nanami." The girl next to me said, nudging me. I swallowed nervously and took a deep breath. It was certainly not the most relaxing thing to have everyone staring at me, waiting for me to start.

"Y-yes…" I muttered, blushing lightly at the attention. I slowly held my hands up like Master Ringo did and closed my eyes, trying to focus my mind on the technique. Nothing happened at all. I slowly opened my eyes, feeling very disappointed, but was still determined to do it again. I tried a couple of times more, but they were all the same: Nothing happened.

"Heh! She can't even perform this simple trick!" one boy exclaimed and laughed, with the other students joining him soon after. I lowered my gaze, feeling humiliated.

"Stop. This is not nice!" I heard Master Ringo yell. "She may not be able to do it so easily, but that doesn't mean she is not good." The students slowly grew silent again. Master Ringo sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, looking clearly annoyed. "Class is over for today. Study well, and try to learn some new techniques on your own."

"What? Without help?" one girl asked.

"Yes. I want you to be able to feel the magic yourself." He said. "Should you need help, come and ask me. Now, see you later." With that very statement, class was dismissed. I was about to walk out of the room, but Master Ringo called me. "Haruka, I need to talk to you." I gulped and nodded, going back to my seat. Master Ringo was putting away some papers while he was seated at his desk. I sat down and fixed my gaze on my lap. I thought I was going to get a lecture or something, but I was wrong.

"Haruka…" he began, looking at me. I looked up a bit just to be able to see his expression. He looked very calm, and had a smile on his face too. "I hope you are not feeling bad for what happened earlier…"

"M-master Ringo…"

"It's okay to make mistakes, dear. No need to feel bad at all. It's quite normal, especially when you are learning. Do not take people's words of criticism too personal, alright?" he said with a smile. He walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder, smiling reassuringly.

"Yes..." I nodded, smiling a bit.

"Good." He replied, walking back to his desk. He pulled out a book from the drawer and walked again back to me, giving me the book. It was a large book with a dark brown leather cover, with something scribbled on it with gold. It was not in the language I knew. "This book will help you learn more about healing. It's special." I opened it and flicked through. It was written all in the same language as the one on the cover. Master Ringo seemed to notice my confusion, as he chuckled lightly. "Don't worry about the language… I know someone who can help you…"

"Thank you, Master Ringo." I said, getting up from my seat.

"You're welcome, Haruka." He said, the smile never leaving his face. "Just remember this: Keep trying and you'll succeed." I nodded and walked to the door. Before I left, Master Ringo called again. "Oh and, come by my office after lunch. I'll introduce you to the person who will help you with the book." I nodded one last time before leaving the room. I felt happy with what my teacher told me. He was right. Opinions of those students do not matter to me at all. All that mattered was that I needed to train more. The trials were only a month away, and I needed to be prepared.

I went to do my daily researches on different types of magic. But, like every day, my mind drifted off to Haruka. How was she doing, studying Sword Magic? Was she okay? I wanted to see her, but that was not possible. I have tried to ask Master Shining for permission once, but he said that he couldn't let me do that, unless there was something very urgent. It didn't seem fair to me, but maybe he was doing this to keep things disciplined.

"Yo, Haruka!" called Tomo as she walked into our room. "How are things going?" she asked, sitting down beside me. I put my notebook down.

"Good. I was doing some researches on Time magic."

"I see."

"It's pretty interesting, using magic to manipulate time…" I said with a smile. Tomo laughed.

"Yes. If only I can stop the time and punch all the people who bully you." She said.

"No, Tomo. I don't like violence."

"But they are being mean to you. Why are you so calm about it?"

"Well… I learned I shouldn't mind them at all." I replied, recalling what Master Ringo told me at class. Tomo smiled.

"You are so kind, Haruka." She said. "But now, let's go get lunch. Come on." With that, she grabbed my arm and literally dragged me all the way to the lunch room. We had lunch like we usually did, talking about classes and magic. Tomo would usually change the topic to boys, and how she has found a perfect boy for me and things like that. Each time we talked about that, I felt flustered. There were a lot of nice boys here at the academy, let alone Leon, who has been very nice to me since the very beginning. Tomo would always say I liked him, but I would deny. I didn't really know, and I didn't think much about it either.

Lunch was done, and I headed straight to Master Ringo's office. He was there, waiting for me, along with Master Shining. They seemed to be discussing a very important matter, but they stopped when I walked in. Master Ringo approached me with a smile.

"There you are, Haruka. We were just talking about you." He said. "Master Shining wants to tell you something very important." I looked over at the older man with anticipation. He simply smiled down at me.

"Miss Nanami…" he began, and I was getting more nervous. Beads of sweat started trickling down my face and my neck. "Master Ringo has been telling me about your progress. I have decided…" then he paused for a while. "…You will take the trials tomorrow…" I was shocked.

"W-what?!" I exclaimed worriedly. "I-I'm not ready for this! I—"

"Haruka, you _have _to." Master Ringo said. "It's the only way you can get help to read that book."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The only person alive that can read that book," Master Shining spoke. "…is currently studying Sword Magic."

"And we cannot let you go there, unless you pass your trials." Master Ringo added.

"But, I'm too weak to pass. I'm—"

"Don't worry, Miss Nanami." Master Shining cut in. "You have more talent than the students in your class. You just have to trust yourself…" I sighed and nodded.

"Yes, Master Shining." I replied, feeling a bit nervous.

"Good. You can leave now, Miss Nanami." I turned around and walked back to my room, thinking about the information I have just received. I walked in, almost bumping into a very worried Tomochika.

"Haruka! Where have you been all that time? I was so worried!" she said.

"I'm sorry." I replied, walking to my bed. I lay down on my back and stared at the ceiling, feeling worried and nervous. Tomo seemed to sense that; she walked over to my bed and sat down as well, still looking very worried.

"Hey, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes… It's just…" I hesitated before telling her. "My trials are taking place tomorrow." I said finally. She looked shocked, just like I looked when I heard the news.

"Tomorrow?! So sudden?!"

"Yes."

"But… Why?" I couldn't tell her more. I didn't know If I was allowed to tell her about the book or not. So I decided not to tell her about that.

"I don't know…" I replied shortly.

"Okay. All you need now is to rest. You need to be prepared for tomorrow." She said with a smile. "I wish you luck, Haruka." I smiled back and nodded, getting under the covers. I put my head on my pillow, clearing my mind. But that was not possible, as another question flashed through my mind…

Who was the person they were talking about?

* * *

**And, that's all I have for this chapter. I hope this was good enough, minna. Yay! I'm so pumped up! R&amp;R minna! I'd be really thankful for any help you give me.**

**See ya!**

**KuraiHaru17**


	6. Chapter V

**I'm back again! So, after my final exams as a junior are done, I have about two months for my summer vacation before I become a senior. That's why I'm going to try and update as soon as possible, so I would be done with most of my stories.**

**Disclaimer, I do not own Uta no Prince-sama or any of the characters. And I also do not own the RPG game Aveyond. I only own my OCs and most parts of the plot. **

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

_Chapter V_

"Haruka, wake up." I was shaken a bit too violently by my roommate, Tomo. When I had opened my eyes, I saw her worried face. "Thank God you are up!"

"Good mor—"

"No time for this! You are going to be late for your exam!" I was shocked. Without another word, I jumped out of my bed and rushed to get dressed, and then hurry out of my room. Master Ringo must be waiting for me somewhere. I just hope I was not too late. Lucky me, I was just in time. Master Ringo was talking to the Headmaster, with Master Ryuuya standing near them. With him was my companion, Haruka. She wore a silver knight's attire with black clothing beneath, and on her waist was a sword, tied to her belt. Her hair was held up too, and was a deep cut on her cheek. When Master Ringo noticed me, he smiled.

"Ah, Haruka! You are finally here. I was worried." He said. I blushed a little.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to be late." I said. The man just patted my head.

"It's okay, I'm not angry at you. You were just in time. Ryuuya and I were just talking about you."

"Eh?"

"That's right." The headmaster spoke. "Your trials are special." Then he glanced at Haruka.

"Your friend here has a wound, and none of our healers could heal it. Even the most experienced healers failed." Master Ryuuya explained. "You are the only one that was able to heal her." He said. I recalled that time back at Holan, when Haruka was injured, and I accidentally healed her. Could it be that they—

"We want you to heal her again, and if you do, you will be titled as an apprentice." The headmaster said.

"B-but that was an accident! I—I don't know how I did it." I said in panic. I was sure that I was going to fail. Master Ringo looked at me worriedly before giving me a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry, Haruka… You will pass this test."

"But—"

"Just believe in yourself. Come on." He pushed me towards Haruka, who was still standing there, listening to our conversation quietly. I took a deep breath and relaxed. I was going to do it. Not for the test, but for my friend. She looked at me with her emotionless, crimson eyes, though she looked to be in pain. Was it the wound? Or something else? I couldn't put my fingers on it. Haruka was good at hiding such little details. I gently put my hand to her wound, causing her to flinch and pull back, hissing in pain.

"Haruka… Don't—"I took a step forward, but she hissed again and backed away, eyeing me carefully. She looked…scared… like I was a threat to her. Master Ryuuya whispered something to the headmaster, and the man nodded, then turned to me.

"It looks things are not easy, Miss Nanami. We can just carry on with the traditional trials." He said. I glanced at Haruka and shook my head.

"No. I want to do this." Then I turned around, facing the black-haired girl. "I want to help her…" I walked towards her slowly, and strangely, she did not move away. Instead, she crouched to the floor and kept looking at me with those crimson eyes of hers. I walked even closer and knelt down beside her, putting my hand on her injured cheek again. I was not sure it was going to work, but I gave it a try. I closed my eyes and hoped for the best. To my surprise, I felt energy course through my whole body. My hand grew warmer, and felt lighter. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see my hand glowing in a greenish white light. Haruka was looking at me in utter shock, as did the three men. I pulled my hand away from Haruka, only to see that the wound has disappeared.

"How…?" she muttered. "How did you do this…?" I shook my head, still shocked.

"I don't know…I—"

"Haruka! You are really special!" Master Ringo exclaimed as he hugged me tight. "You healed her! No one was able to do it! I told you she was different." I was half-happy, half-doubtful of that statement. I wondered if me being different is good or bad. But I was relieved by the fact I was able to be of some help to my friend. But was this really enough for me to pass the trials?

"Miss Nanami…" The Headmaster began. "You have now claimed the title of the apprentice." He said. "But as you are a special healer, you will be trained by Master Ringo." I was surprised. I would be trained by Master Ringo himself; one of the greatest healers amongst the isles.

"A—are you—"

"Uwaah! Haruka! You will be my very special student! I'm so happy!" Master Ringo hugged me again. I blushed lightly and smiled.

"Thank you." I said. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Haruka talking to Master Ryuuya. She didn't look happy, while he seemed to be trying to warn her of something, as suggested his expression, whispering something to her. She nodded and turned back to me.

"Nanami. I heard you wanted to go into the Sword Magic dorms. I will be your guide." She said. I smiled.

"Sure. We can go now?"

"Yes." She said. I walked by her side after saying goodbye to the three teachers. We passed by the reception room, where we—or I—got a pass that said we had permission to go to the other dormitories from Leon. He handed me the paper and gave me some directions, on where I should not go, and things like that, then Haruka and I left. She opened the door. It led to a narrow hallway like the other one did, and in the end was a door.

Behind that door was a totally different world. Not many people were wandering around like in my dorm. I could hear the sounds of swords clashing together, as well as the shouts and yells of knights. The décor consisted of white, gold and royal blue, giving the viewer a very special feeling of elegance. I looked around in awe, unable to take my eyes off. It was only when I bumped into Haruka's back that I realized she stopped. We were standing in front of a huge wooden door.

"Here is where me and my comrades train." She said, opening the door. The walls of the rood had different kinds of swords, lances, spears, and basically every kind of weapon that could be wielded. There were a couple of people—all men—training is side the room, taking turns in sparring with each other. Haruka led me in, and when she walked in, the fighting stopped.

"Ah, Haruka. You are back!" one man said. He had red hair, matching eyes and wore a bright smile on his face. He was waving at Haruka happily, while his partner, a short boy with blond hair and blue eyes. They both approached us.

"You were gone for long. We were worried." The shorter boy said.

"Thank you for your concern, Syo." She replied. The other boy glanced at me.

"Is she a friend of yours?" he asked. Haruka—much to my surprise—nodded.

"Yes. Nanami Haruka is a student of magic, healing section." She said. The two 'ooooooh'ed at the same time, eyes sparkling.

"Wow! That's cool!" they both exclaimed. Soon, I was surrounded by other students, who asked me all kinds of questions. They all seemed concerned about Haruka too, and I could tell she was happy with it. I spent some time watching Haruka and the red haired boy—called Otoya—have a match together. Master Ryuuya arrived soon, and I watched their training. By far, the top of the class were Haruka and another student. He was a tall, good-looking young man with dark navy blue hair and charming dark eyes. I later learned his name was Tokiya Ichinose. He and Haruka seemed to be on good terms.

Another student called Masato met me too. He is a polite young man with a calm attitude, most similar to Haruka. The two seemed to be best of friends, as he and Haruka spent most time together. Otoya and Syo were the most active persons I met that day. They were both energetic and motivated, and they looked up to Haruka and Tokiya as their role models. Masato later told me that Haruka and Tokiya are students of a higher class, and they have almost completed their apprentice course.

"They only need to do a deed of great importance* to earn the title of 'Sword Masters'" Otoya explained. "It's really wonderful to watch them practice."

"Yeah! I train hard every day to pass the trials." Syo said, but frowned. "But whenever it's my turn, I go up against Haruka or Master Ryuuya… Just perfect." Haruka, who was sitting with us, chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry, Syo… I offered to have you train with me, but you did not agree." She said.

"I want to achieve that on my own! That's how a fighter is!" he replied. Otoya and I laughed, while Haruka just shrugged.

"Oh well, it's your choice anyway. I—"then someone called Haruka. It was Tokiya. "Excuse me, everyone. I have to go now." She said, getting up and leaving with the dark haired student. Now I was there, with Syo, Masato and Otoya.

"Nanami." Masato began, attracting my attention. "How is studying magic like?"

"Eh? You guys don't—"

"No. Only Haruka, Tokiya and Natsuki study sword magic." Otoya said, referring to another student I did not know. "Master Ryuuya said they had that gift… Man, I wish I was able to study sword magic too."

"I see…" I smiled. "Studying magic is pretty hard. But it's fun. I want to become a healer so that I can help people…"

"Uwaah! That's a really noble aim!" Otoya exclaimed. "I want to travel to Vala, and become one of the Royal Knights. I want to protect people."

"Me too!" Syo chimed in. "After all my training is done, I will travel back to Vala. I really miss my family."

"Family?" I asked.

"Yes. Before I came here, I lived with my twin brother. He wanted to study medicine, while I wanted to become a knight. And so, here I am." He explained with a laugh. Masato spoke up next.

"I was sent here by the orders of my father. He thinks that becoming a knight will do well to the reputation of out Trading Business…" I had heard before of the Hijirikawa Trading Business. My former mistress used to talk about it. They were one of the noblest families in known amongst the isles, and they owned the largest Trading Business in the world.

"I think—"

"Nanami." I heard a voice call me. I turned around to see Leon smiling at me sweetly. "Your time is up, dear. You have to go back to your dorms now." He said. I blushed a little and nodded, turning back to the three students.

"I'm sorry. I have to go back now." I said.

"It's fine. It was fun having you around, Nanami." Otoya exclaimed.

"Yeah, you should come here again." Syo added. I nodded and bid them goodbye, the Leon lead me back to the entrance of my dormitories. Midway, he said he had to do something important to do. He asked me if I would be able to go back on my own, and I nodded. Leon left, and I kept on walking. As I neared the door of my dorms, I heard faint voices in a distance. It sounded like people were fighting. I followed the sound, and it led me outside. The voices became clearer. One was Haruka's voice, another was one I did not know. The third voice was very familiar. A voice I was so used to, and one I detested. I hid behind a column and peeked at the scene before me. There were three male students, Haruka backing against the wall, and in front of her was…Eiichi?!

* * *

**Phew, all done. It has been a long while, indeed. But exams are over, so this is good. Hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be coming up soon.**

**I'm planning for some pairings coming up soon too. Wish me luck on romance. I'll leave them as a surprise. (One of them will be hinted next chapter. It will be really obvious, though.)**

**KuraiHaru17**


	7. Chapter VI

**It's been a while since my last update, and I really missed this story. But here I am. Study a has been taking up all my time, and slipping in a chapter or two was really hard. **

**Too lazy to do the disclaimer, but you know already.**

**Let the show begin!**

* * *

Chapter VI

Why was Haruka there? Why was Eiichi in front of her? What was going on?

As much as I wanted to know, I stayed in my place, watching from afar. Haruka looked…hurt… Was it because of Eiichi, or the three students? Haruka crouched down to the floor, while Eiichi approached the students.

"I think this is more than enough." He said, but his tone was different. He was stern, and the way he looked at the three students was almost...threatening. The students complied and walked away. It was the best time to approach the scene. Doro hid behind my hair as I moved, but once again, I stopped. Eiichi turned to Haruka and pinned her to the wall.

"What would have happened if I was not here?" he said. Haruka gave him a glare.

"I could handle it, snob." She replied, voice cracking a little. It was the same masculine voice I heard on that day, when she saved me from Eiichi. Eiichi smirked and leaned closer to Haruka, and I couldn't help but blush and hide when his lips crashed on hers. I didn't see what happened next, and I didn't want to look. Doro also seemed to not like that. I knew it was safe to look when I heard Eiichi speak.

"They would have found out about your secret." He said, pulling Haruka close. Haruka yanked her hand away, but Eiichi growled and pulled her again, a little bit roughly. "Listen. I can simply tell everyone the truth, and it wouldn't be of any problem to me. If you don't obey me, you're done for." He said, tone rising a little in annoyance. Haruka clenched her fists, but did nothing. Eiichi's expression turned to a pleased one. "Good." He pecked her lips twice, the second one being longer than just a peck, then left. Haruka stood where she was, a frown taking over her pale face. I wanted to go talk to her, but was afraid that she might notice my face, and thus find out I was watching them. I waited for a while, but she didn't leave. She sat down again, pulling her knees up and hiding her face in her arms.

Something was definitely wrong. I couldn't stay there not doing anything, so I walked over to her. She didn't seem to notice me. I sat down to her, the grass rustling as I did, and then, she looked at me. No words were exchanged, I just locked my eyes with hers, and we stayed like this for a while. I was lost in a trance when she spoke to me, and my face immediately went pale.

"How much did you see…?" she asked straight, voice not shaking a bit. I felt my heart pound faster, and was afraid she might have heard it. Her eyes narrowed at me, but then her face relaxed again. "Silly me… Jumping to conclusions like that…" she smiled, a mocking smile, like she was mocking herself. I felt it, and it hurt.

"Haruka…" I murmured. She turned to me.

"Nanami…" she said quietly. I waited for her to go on, but she said nothing. Instead, she got up. "Never mind, you should go back to your dorm. It's getting late." She said and walked away. I sighed and stood up, watching her walk away.

"Haruka…" with a squeak, Doro climbed onto my head. "I know, Doro… It must be Eiichi. He is making her miserable." But why would he threaten her? What is that that he knew about her that was hidden from everyone? Asking Eiichi was one way to know, and asking Haruka was another, but both were hard. Haruka would never tell me that easily. And Eiichi… I wouldn't try and get involved with him in anything at all.

Maybe Haruka will tell me, when she wants to. Like she said, it was getting late. I walked back to my dorm only to be greeted by a very worried Leon.

"Nanami, where were you?" he asked in a tone of deep concern, mixed with some anger. "I was really worried something happened to you."

"S-sorry…" I bowed. "I'm really—"I stopped when he pulled me to a hug. My face heated up, but his touch was more fatherly than intimate, like a father who has found his lost daughter. He was warm and gentle. I was tired, so I gradually started to fall asleep. Leon noticed it, because he lifted me up gently.

"I'll take you back." He smiled sweetly. I nodded, drifting to sleep quicker than I thought. His steps started to fade as I finally made it to the inviting darkness of sleep.

Next day, Tomo kept talking and talking about how gentle Leon was, and how stupid I am for staying out at night, and how annoying that one student at her class was and how she wanted to punch him. She was pretty normal that day.

"Say, Haruka," she addressed me all of a sudden. "Do you know a student named Otori Eiichi?" I stopped walking all of a sudden at the mention of his name, shivers running down my spine as I remembered what happened the night before. I nodded slowly. "Oh, he mentioned you the other day, and I was puzzled. He has nothing to do with you, does he?"

"He…is the son of my previous mistress…" I replied, not wanting to talk about the subject. Tomo seemed to notice, and I was so thankful when she dropped it and switched it to today's lunch.

"Oi, Nanami!" The ever-so-energetic Otoya waved to me as I wandered around the Knights' dormitories. He, Syo, Masato and Tokiya were having lunch together again. I approached them and greeted them.

"Hello." I bowed. "How are you doing?"

"Good," Otoya smiled. "My trials are in two days. I have been training hard."

"Eh? You didn't look like it yesterday." I blinked in confusion. Otoya laughed nervously.

"He is always like that," Tokiya sighed. "He rarely shows real worry about anything." I glanced at Otoya and smiled. He was indeed bright and cheerful, which was why I liked him. "I should go now," Tokiya stood up.

"Eh?! You just arrived!" Otoya whined.

"I have to check up on Haruka." He said. I didn't realize I turned to him immediately and asked:

"Did something happen to her?" Tokiya seemed surprised for a second, but then his face turned back to his stoic expression.

"No, nothing serious, but she hasn't been to classes today…" then he started walking away. "I wonder what's up with her…" I sat down again, feeling a bit disappointed. What could have possibly happened to her? Thoughts raced in my head, and only stopped when Otoya shook me gently.

"Nanami…?" he asked gently. "Are you okay?"

"You are crying." Syo pointed out. I felt my cheeks and indeed, they were wet with tears, but I couldn't help it. I felt angry, annoyed, and sad—I didn't know how to put it. I wiped away my tears, but more kept flowing. I stood up.

"Excuse me," I said as I hurried out of the dorms, to that narrow hallway that lead to the dormitories. I stopped to breathe, and didn't feel the presence of Leon behind me.

"Nanami, what's wrong…?" he asked gently, placing his hand on my shoulder. I shook my head and said nothing. Leon rubbed my chin gently with his thumb and smiled. "Come on… I don't like seeing you like this." His tone became more playful, like a father talking to his child, as he leaned to my height. "Did someone bother you?"

"No…" I shook my head again. Leon didn't seem convinced.

"I'm not leaving you till you tell me." He folded his arms. "Now, what is it?"

"Where was Haruka last night?" I asked straight away. Leon's eyes widened slightly, but he tapped his chin like he was remembering.

"I don't quite remember…but I think…she…came back late, like two hours after curfew." The way his speech cracked midway was not making me feel comfortable. "It that what's bothering you…? You are worried about her?" I didn't realize I nodded. Leon smiled sweetly. "That's nice of you, Nanami…Haruka… she talks to me about you when she comes back from training. Are you two close to each other?"

Haruka talked about me? To Leon? And I thought she didn't care… But wait… her actions… They were—Ah, why did she have to be so complicated?! I wish she could just tell me everything about herself. But she liked being secretive about her life and past.

"We are…I think." I said, my voice wavering a little. Leon chuckled.

"You know… You…look a lot like my daughter." He said. "Every time I talk to you, it's like I'm talking to her." Then he paused. "I haven't seen her is 6 years, since her last visit. Her mother stopped writing to me…"

"But… why are they living away…?" I asked. "You are family, right?"

"We...are no longer married…" his tone dropped. I regretted asking the question. "She took my little Maria with her, and I've never seen her ever since that time." His tone was breaking, and I could feel my heart break too. Tears formed in the corner of Leon's eyes, but he held them back. "I'm sorry…I should not have bothered you with my personal issues."

"No problem." I found myself tempted to pat his back gently. The aura around him felt so familiar that I usually forgot he was an instructor of higher status. He didn't seem to mind that.

"Thank you for listening." He said after a while, his cheerful smile finding its way back to his face. "I will get back to my work now, and I will check up on Haruka for you as well."

"Thank you, Master Leon—"

"Sir is fine."

"O-okay, sir." I bowed. Leon patted my head and walked away, wishing me a good day. Lunch time was almost over; I had to get back to class. Tomo was waiting for me, worried, of course. We headed to class where we would be having our history lessons. Our teacher was a nice man with an attitude very similar to Leon, but a bit more cheerful. His name was Rupert. History was somehow boring, but his classes were anything but that. Students liked him, and most female students would giggle each time he spoke to them. Tomo always denied liking him, but I knew she did. Everyone did.

"So, Nanami, when was Sword Magic discovered?" The question was directed to me. I hurriedly searched through the book, but alas, he knew I was not focusing. Rupert flicked my forehead gently. "Ne, ne~ Focus please, Nanami." He said playfully. I hid behind my book as the students laughed.

"Hah, of course she has no idea!" It was Eiichi and his cronies. Tomo hissed silently and broke her pencil, earning a giggle from me. Rupert glanced at Eiichi and smiled sweetly, though his eyes said otherwise.

"Fine then, Eiichi. When was Sword Magic discovered?" he asked. Eiichi's laughter died down, and soon, everyone was laughing at him. Even Rupert. "Good. Next time, please put your personal grudges aside and spare yourself the joy of being laughed at in class."

"..Tch…" I heard him scoff. I laughed quietly and focused during the rest of the class. After we were done, and as I left, Rupert called me.

"Nanami, please excuse me," he said. I walked over to him with a puzzled face. Eiichi was standing there too. He looked like he could strangle anyone who dares make him angry. I silently hoped it wasn't me.

"Y-yes, sir?"

"You and Eiichi seem to be having a problem with the history of Sword Magic." He said, motioning for me to sit down. Eiichi sat down as well, but Rupert immediately turned to him. "Oh no. You don't sit." Eiichi growled and stood up again, folding his arms in anger. "Good boy. Now, you two, I have chosen the academy's best student at History to be your tutor. You will be having extra classes, and that student will be deciding when and where you are having these classes." We both nodded. "Now, Haruka, you can come in."

It was her, but she wore the long white robe teachers wear. She had glasses on, and her hair was tied back. Her face looked sterner than it usually was. She had a couple of books with her, and they were nothing near small. I felt myself swallowing heavily. What was Haruka like as a teacher?

And I soon got the answer.

"Eiichi! Focus!" Haruka stopped what she was explaining to hit Eiichi's head with a small book she had in hand. Eiichi muttered some curses under his breath and hid behind his textbook. "You will never pass the exams if you do not focus."

It was like that, every five minutes, she would snap at him. It was fun to watch, but I also had to focus. It seems I was doing better job at it than Eiichi. Haruka seemed pleased with me, and I was grateful. She was really scary. After two hours, our extra session was over.

"You two will meet me tomorrow one hour after dinner. Tokiya will escort you to my room. You better not be late." With that, she walked outside. Eiichi was going to mutter something again, but I could care less. I followed Haruka hurriedly.

"Haruka!" she stopped and turned to me. I stopped in front of her and looked up straight into her eyes, only then I had realized she was way taller than me. "Haruka, I—"

"Leon told me." She interjected. "I'm sorry for being so secretive; Nanami, I cannot tell you everything… Not yet…" she fell silent for a while.

"Haruka…"

"Anyway," she looked at me and smiled. It was a smile that I could actually see, and it was beautiful. "Thank you."

"Eh?" I tilted my head to the side a little with apparent confusion on my face, because she was chuckling.

"For caring about me…" with that being said, she left. I smiled wide, feeling all warm and happy. Eiichi had long walked out of the room, sulking. He looked at Haruka before he looked at me.

"Such a weird person, you are." He said. I glanced at him.

"Why?"

"Why do you care so much about Haruka? What do you possibly think you can gain? After graduation, she will forget you." He went on. I shook my head.

"No. I don't know why, but I'm sure Haruka will not forget me." I said. Eiichi scoffed again was walked away. I was feeling contented with myself. Well, all until my stomach grumbled. It was almost dinner time. Tomo would be waiting for me at the dinner hall. I hurried there as soon as possible. We had dinner like we did every day, and then we headed back to our rooms for the night. Everything seemed good enough…

Well, till next morning came…

* * *

**All done for today. Hope you enjoyed, that is if anyone still reads this. I enjoyed writing it, and I'm not stopping. I'll try to make a quick update.**

**KuraiHaru17**


End file.
